U.S. patent number 10,399,747 [Application Number 16/207,354] was granted by the patent office on 2019-09-03 for toothpaste cap with dental care tools.
This patent grant is currently assigned to United Arab Emirates University. The grantee listed for this patent is UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY. Invention is credited to Waleed Khalil Ahmed.
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United States Patent |
10,399,747 |
Ahmed |
September 3, 2019 |
Toothpaste cap with dental care tools
Abstract
The toothpaste cap with dental care tools includes a cap for
sealing an open end of a squeezable tube dispenser. The cap is
formed as a hollow body having a closed upper end and an open lower
end. A cylindrical retaining member is mounted, substantially
centrally, to a lower face of the closed upper end within the
hollow body. The cylindrical retaining member is adapted for
releasably receiving and sealing a spout of a squeezable tube
dispenser. The cap can have a first sidewall having a flat planar
contour and a second sidewall having an arcuate contour. The flat,
planar first sidewall of the hollow body is adapted for pressing
against the squeezable tube dispenser to selectively manually
manipulate contents thereof. Alternatively, the cap can have a
substantially cylindrical sidewall and a squeezing member attached
to an exterior surface thereof.
Inventors: |
Ahmed; Waleed Khalil (Al Ain,
AE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY |
Al Ain |
N/A |
AE |
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|
Assignee: |
United Arab Emirates University
(Al-Ain, AE)
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Family
ID: |
65896459 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/207,354 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20190100363 A1 |
Apr 4, 2019 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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15639855 |
Jun 30, 2017 |
10202223 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
35/44 (20130101); B65D 35/28 (20130101); B65D
51/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
35/28 (20060101); B65D 35/44 (20060101); B65D
51/24 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2888733 |
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Jul 2005 |
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FR |
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1020110038283 |
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Apr 2011 |
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KR |
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508514 |
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Sep 2015 |
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TW |
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Primary Examiner: Buechner; Patrick M.
Assistant Examiner: Gruby; Randall A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Litman; Richard C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/639,855, filed on Jun. 30, 2017.
Claims
I claim:
1. A toothpaste cap with dental care tools, comprising: a hollow
body having a closed upper end, an open lower end and a
substantially cylindrical sidewall, wherein an exterior surface of
the substantially cylindrical sidewall has a groove formed therein;
a cylindrical retaining member mounted to a lower face of the
closed upper end within said hollow body; and a squeezing member
releasably received within the groove formed in the exterior
surface of the substantially cylindrical sidewall, whereby said
cylindrical retaining member is adapted for releasably receiving
and sealing a spout of a squeezable tube dispenser, and the
squeezing member is adapted for pressing against the squeezable
tube dispenser to selectively manipulate contents thereof; wherein
the squeezing member has a pair of opposed longitudinal ends; an
annular disc mounted within the substantially cylindrical sidewall
and mounted about the cylindrical retaining member, the annular
disc having at least one opening formed therethrough for removably
receiving an at least one cleaning head.
2. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 1,
wherein the closed upper end of said hollow body has a flat planar
contour.
3. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 1,
wherein an inner face of said cylindrical retaining member is
threaded.
4. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 1,
wherein said squeezing member comprises an elongated rod.
5. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 1,
wherein the groove is formed tangentially with respect to the
substantially cylindrical sidewall, such that the squeezing member
extends tangentially with respect to the substantially cylindrical
sidewall.
6. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 1,
wherein the at least one cleaning head is mounted on at least one
of the ends of the squeezing member.
7. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 1,
wherein the at least one cleaning head has at least one sidewall,
an open end and a closed end, the open end being adapted for
releasable mounting on the at least one of the ends of the
squeezing member.
8. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 7,
wherein the closed end of the at least one cleaning head has a
concave surface adapted for engaging a surface of a tooth.
9. The toothpaste cap with dental care tools as recited in claim 7,
wherein the closed end of the at least one cleaning head has a
tapered surface adapted for cleaning between an adjacent pair of
teeth.
10. A tube dispenser having a toothpaste cap with dental care
tools, comprising: a squeezable tube dispenser having a spout; and
a cap, comprising: a hollow body having a closed upper end, an open
lower end and a substantially cylindrical sidewall, wherein an
exterior surface of the substantially cylindrical sidewall has a
groove formed therein, wherein the closed upper end has a top
surface forming a full circle; a cylindrical retaining member
mounted to a lower face of the closed upper end within said hollow
body; and a squeezing member releasably received within the groove
formed in the exterior surface of the substantially cylindrical
sidewall, whereby said cylindrical retaining member is adapted for
releasably receiving and sealing a spout of a squeezable tube
dispenser, and the squeezing member is adapted for pressing against
the squeezable tube dispenser to selectively manipulate contents
thereof.
11. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 10, wherein the closed
upper end of said hollow body has a flat planar contour.
12. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 10, wherein an inner
face of said cylindrical retaining member is threaded.
13. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 10, wherein said
squeezing member comprises an elongated rod.
14. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 13, wherein the groove
is formed tangentially with respect to the substantially
cylindrical sidewall, such that the squeezing member extends
tangentially with respect to the substantially cylindrical
sidewall.
15. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 10, further comprising
at least one cleaning head releasably mounted on at least one end
of the squeezing member, the at least one cleaning head having at
least one sidewall, an open end and a closed end.
16. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 15, further comprising
an annular disc mounted within the substantially cylindrical
sidewall and mounted about the cylindrical retaining member, the
annular disc having at least one opening formed therethrough for
removably receiving the at least one cleaning head.
17. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 16, wherein the closed
end of the at least one cleaning head has a concave surface adapted
for engaging a surface of a tooth.
18. The tube dispenser as recited in claim 16, wherein the closed
end of the at least one cleaning head has a tapered surface adapted
for cleaning between an adjacent pair of teeth.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field
The disclosure of the present patent application relates to
packaging, and dispensing, and particularly, to a cap for a
squeezable tube dispenser, such as industrial paste tubes, medical
paste tubes, chemical paste tubes, toothpaste tubes and the
like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Squeezable, tube-type dispensers are used for containing and
dispensing numerous materials, such as toothpaste, medical and
chemical pastes, adhesives, hair products, gels, and caulk, for
example. The basic structure of such squeezable tubes includes an
elongated, typically cylindrical hollow tube, formed of a flexible
material, with one closed end and one end having a neck or spout
for dispensing. The neck or spout is usually cylindrical and
typically defines a circular bore for dispensing of the material.
The closed end of the tube is a generally flat and sealed. A
closure of the spout is provided h a removable cap, typically
through the use of cooperating threads or a snap-fit apparatus.
The use of squeezable tubes is deceptively simple, in that the
contents are dispensed by removing the cap and squeezing the tube
portion with sufficient force to extrude the contents outwardly
through the spout. As the contents are dispensed, the tube tends to
flatten. Despite the basic simplicity of the use of squeezable tube
dispensers, problems still arise as the material within the tube is
dispensed. The flattening of the tube is not controlled and thus
simply flattens wherever it is squeezed. Repeated dispensing of the
material in the tube results in unevenly distributed contents
throughout the ever-flattening tube. As a result, the user must
periodically, if not continuously, manipulate the tube to flatten
the partially filled tube from the closed end bottom toward the
head end. This process is necessary to avoid undesired waste and
uneven distribution of the material within the tube. Failure to
flatten the tube from the bottom can make it difficult to empty the
tube completely.
Although a wide variety of squeezing tools exist to alleviate this
problem, such tools are often overly complex, burdensome to use, or
may be easily lost, since they are stored separately from the
squeezable tube dispenser. Further, such squeezing tools typically
do not address the issue of stability of the tube; i.e., prevention
of movement of the tube on a flat surface, such as a countertop,
during squeezing. Thus, a toothpaste cap with dental care tools
solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY
A toothpaste cap with dental care tools can be used to detachably
cover the open end of a squeezable tube dispenser, such as those
typically associated with toothpaste. The cap is formed as a hollow
body having a closed upper end, an open lower end, and at least one
sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end.
According to an embodiment, the cap can include a first sidewall
having a flat, planar contour and a second sidewall having an
arcuate contour. Preferably, the second sidewall has a
substantially constant radius of curvature; i.e., the
cross-sectional contour forms a circular section, similar to a
conventional tube cap. The closed upper end may have a flat planar
contour, also similar to a conventional tube cap.
A cylindrical retaining member is mounted, substantially centrally,
to a lower face of the closed upper end within the hollow body. The
cylindrical retaining member is adapted for releasably receiving
and sealing a spout of a squeezable tube dispenser, similar to a
conventional tube dispenser cap. The cylindrical retaining member
may be threaded on an inner face thereof, for receiving a threaded
spout, or may be adapted for releasable frictional engagement with
the spout, dependent upon the particular type of tube dispenser.
The flat, planar first sidewall of the hollow body is adapted for
pressing against the squeezable tube dispenser to selectively
manipulate contents thereof.
In an alternative embodiment, the toothpaste cap with dental care
tools includes a hollow body having a closed upper end, an open
lower end, and a substantially cylindrical sidewall. A cylindrical
retaining member is mounted to a lower face of the closed upper end
within the hollow body, substantially centrally with respect to the
closed upper end, similar to the previous embodiment. A squeezing
member is secured to an exterior surface of the substantially
cylindrical sidewall of the hollow body, adjacent the closed upper
end thereof. As in the previous embodiment, the cylindrical
retaining member is adapted for releasably receiving and sealing a
spout of a squeezable tube dispenser. The squeezing member is
adapted for pressing against the squeezable tube dispenser to
selectively manipulate contents thereof. The squeezing member may
have any suitable contouring and relative dimensions. For example,
the squeezing member may be in the form of an elongated rod
extending substantially tangentially with respect to the
substantially cylindrical sidewall (i.e., extending orthogonal to
the radius of the hollow body).
In a further alternative embodiment, the squeezing member may be
removable, allowing for additional usage in combination with a
variety of different dental cleaning heads. Similar to the previous
embodiment, the toothpaste cap with dental care tools of the
further alternative embodiment includes a hollow body having a
closed upper end, an open lower end and a substantially cylindrical
sidewall. However, the exterior surface of the substantially
cylindrical sidewall has a groove formed therein. The squeezing
member is releasably received within the groove. The groove is
preferably formed tangentially with respect to the substantially
cylindrical sidewall, allowing the squeezing member to extend
tangentially.
As in the previous embodiment, a cylindrical retaining member is
mounted to a lower face of the closed upper end within the hollow
body. An inner face of the cylindrical retaining member may
threaded, allowing for releasable engagement with a spout of the
tube dispenser. The squeezing member has a pair of opposed
longitudinal ends, which may be chamfered or otherwise contoured
for releasable engagement with at least one cleaning head. Each
cleaning head has at least one sidewall, an open end and a closed
end. The open end thereof is adapted for releasable mounting on one
the ends of the squeezing member.
A wide variety of different cleaning heads may be provided. For
example, the closed end of the cleaning head may have a concave
surface adapted for engaging a surface of a tooth. As another
example, the closed end has a tapered surface adapted for cleaning
between an adjacent pair of teeth. An annular disc is mounted
within the substantially cylindrical sidewall about the cylindrical
retaining member. The annular disc has at least one opening formed
therethrough for removably receiving the at least one cleaning
head.
These and other features of the present disclosure will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of a toothpaste cap
with dental care tools.
FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools.
FIG. 3 is a lower perspective view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools.
FIG. 4 is an environmental perspective view of the toothpaste cap
with dental care tools, shown being used for squeezing the contents
of an exemplary tube dispenser.
FIG. 5 is an environmental perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the toothpaste cap with dental care tools.
FIG. 6 is an upper perspective view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a lower perspective view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is an environmental perspective view of the toothpaste cap
with dental care tools of FIG. 5, shown being used for squeezing
the contents of an exemplary tube dispenser.
FIG. 9A is an environmental front view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools of FIG. 5, showing mounting of the toothpaste cap
with dental care tools on a conventional countertop.
FIG. 9B is an environmental front view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools of FIG. 5, showing suspension of the toothpaste
cap with dental care tools by a pair of nails.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of
the toothpaste cap with dental care tools.
FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a side view in section of the toothpaste cap with dental
care tools of FIG. 10.
FIG. 13A, FIG. 13B, FIG. 13C and FIG. 13D illustrate successive
steps of the usage of the toothpaste cap with dental care tools of
FIG. 10.
FIG. 14A is a bottom perspective view of a first cleaning head of
the toothpaste cap with dental care tools of FIG. 10.
FIG. 14B is a top perspective view of the first cleaning head of
FIG. 14A.
FIG. 14C is a bottom perspective view of a second cleaning head of
the toothpaste cap with dental care tools of FIG. 10.
FIG. 14D is a top perspective view of the second cleaning head of
FIG. 14C.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The toothpaste cap with dental care tools 10 can be used to
detachably cover the open end of a conventional, squeezable tube
dispenser, such as those typically associated with toothpaste,
industrial pastes, medical and chemical pastes, adhesives, hair
products, gels, caulk and the like. It should be understood that
exemplary tube T, including a dispensing spout 5, shown in FIG. 1
is shown for exemplary purposes only. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the
toothpaste cap with dental care tools 10 is formed as a hollow
body, which may be manufactured from any suitable material, such as
hard plastic or the like, having a closed upper end 12, an open
lower end 14, and at least one sidewall extending between the upper
end 12 and the lower end 14. The closed upper end 12 may have a
flat planar contour, also similar to a conventional tube cap. It
should be understood that the relative dimensions of toothpaste cap
with dental care tools 10 may be varied dependent upon the
particular size and type of tube to which the device 10 is being
applied.
A cylindrical retaining member 20 is mounted, substantially
centrally, to a lower face 24 of the closed upper end 12 within the
hollow body. The cylindrical retaining member 20 is adapted for
releasably receiving and sealing the spout S of the squeezable tube
dispenser T, similar to a conventional tube dispenser cap. The
cylindrical retaining member may have threads 22 formed on an inner
face thereof, for receiving a threaded spout, or may be adapted for
releasable frictional engagement with the spout, dependent upon the
particular type of tube dispenser. It should be understood that the
inner surface of the cylindrical retaining member 20 can be similar
to that of a conventional cap for a squeezable tube dispenser and
may be manufactured in any suitable manner for releasably covering
and sealing the dispensing spout, dependent upon the particular
type of tube to which device 10 is being applied.
According to an embodiment (FIGS. 1-3), the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools 10 can have a first sidewall 16 having a flat
planar contour and a second sidewall 18 having an arcuate contour.
Preferably, the second sidewall 18 has a substantially constant
radius of curvature; i.e., the cross-sectional contour of second
sidewall 18 forms a circular section, similar to a conventional
tube cap. As shown in FIG. 4, the flat, planar first sidewall 16 of
the hollow body is adapted for pressing against the squeezable tube
dispenser T to selectively manipulate the contents thereof. Thus,
when the user wishes to, for example, squeeze or push the contents
of tube T towards spout S, the device 10 is removed from spout S,
the user grips the second sidewall 18 (as shown in FIG. 4),
contacts the flat, planar sidewall 16 against an exterior of tube
T, and squeezes the tube T, with sidewall 16, pushing device 10
forward, toward spout S.
An alternative embodiment of the toothpaste cap with dental care
tools, designated 100 in FIGS. 5-8, includes a hollow body having a
closed upper end 112, an open lower end 114, and a substantially
cylindrical sidewall 116. Although sidewall 116 may be formed with
alternative contours dependent upon the particular type of tube T
to which device 100 is being applied, sidewall 116 does not include
a specialized face for squeezing the tube T (unlike device 10 of
FIGS. 1-4). The closed upper end 112 may have a flat planar
contour, similar to a conventional tube cap. It should be
understood that the relative dimensions of toothpaste cap with
dental care tools 100 may be varied dependent upon the particular
size and type of tube to which the device 100 is being applied.
Similar to the previous embodiment, a cylindrical retaining member
120 is mounted to a lower face 124 of the closed upper end 112
within the hollow body, substantially centrally with respect to
closed upper end 112. A squeezing member 118 is secured to an
exterior surface 102 of the substantially cylindrical sidewall 116,
adjacent the closed upper end 112. The squeezing member 118 may
have any suitable contouring and relative dimensions. For example,
as best seen in FIGS. 5-7, the squeezing member 118 may be in the
form of an elongated rod extending substantially tangentially with
respect to the substantially cylindrical sidewall 116 (i.e.,
extending orthogonal to the radius of the hollow body).
As in the previous embodiment, the cylindrical retaining member 120
is adapted for releasably receiving and sealing spout S of
squeezable tube dispenser T. The cylindrical retaining member 120
may have threads 122 formed on an inner face thereof, for receiving
a threaded spout, or may be adapted for releasable frictional
engagement with the spout, dependent upon the particular type of
tube dispenser. It should be understood that the inner surface of
the cylindrical retaining member 120 is similar to that of a
conventional cap for squeezable tube dispenser and may be
manufactured in any suitable manner for releasably covering and
sealing the dispensing spout, dependent upon the particular type of
tube to which device 100 is being applied.
As shown in FIG. 8, the squeezing member 118 is adapted for
pressing against the squeezable tube dispenser T to selectively
manipulate the contents thereof. Thus, when the user wishes to, for
example, squeeze or push the contents of tube T towards spout S,
the device 100 is removed from spout 5, the user grips the sidewall
116, contacts the squeezing member 118 against an exterior of tube
T, and squeezes the tube with squeezing member 118, pushing device
100 forward, toward spout S.
As shown in FIG. 9A, and as noted above, closed upper end 112 may
be flat or planar, allowing the closed upper end 112 to be stably
supported on a horizontal surface, such as a conventional
countertop C. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 9B, the length of
squeezing member 118 is preferably greater than the diameter of
sidewall 116 allowing the toothpaste cap with dental care tools 100
to be hung from a wall W or the like by a pair of nails N, hooks or
the like. It should be understood that squeezing member may have a
wide variety of different uses, such as, for example, being used to
pierce a foil cover of sealing spout S.
The alternative toothpaste cap with dental care tools 200 of FIG.
10 is similar to the previous embodiment, but with a removable
squeezing member 218, which allows for additional usage in
combination with a variety of different dental cleaning heads 210,
230. Similar to the previous embodiment, the toothpaste cap with
dental care tools 200 includes a hollow body having a closed upper
end 212, an open lower end 214 and a substantially cylindrical
sidewall 216. However, as shown, the exterior surface 202 of the
substantially cylindrical sidewall 216 has a groove 204 formed
therein. The squeezing member 218 is releasably received within the
groove 204, allowing the squeezing member 218 to be removably held
therein via frictional engagement therewith. The groove 204 is
preferably formed tangentially with respect to the substantially
cylindrical sidewall 216, allowing the squeezing member 218 to
extend tangentially, similar to the previous embodiment.
As in the previous embodiment, a cylindrical retaining member 220
is mounted to a lower face of the closed upper end 212 within the
hollow body. An inner face 222 of the cylindrical retaining member
220 may threaded, as shown, allowing for releasable engagement with
the spout S of the tube dispenser T. The squeezing member 218 has a
pair of opposed longitudinal ends 206, 208, which may be chamfered
or otherwise contoured for releasable engagement with at least one
cleaning head. In FIGS. 10 and 11, four cleaning heads of a first
type 230 and four cleaning heads of a second type 210 are shown. It
should be understood that the number and type of cleaning heads are
shown for exemplary purposes only, and that any desired number of
cleaning heads may be included and, similarly, any number of
different types of cleaning heads may be used. Different types of
cleaning heads may be manufactured in different colors, or
otherwise be made visually distinct from one another, allowing the
user to easily select a desired type of cleaning head.
Exemplary first cleaning head 230, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B,
has at least one sidewall 254, an open end 252 and a closed end
250. The open end 252 is adapted for releasable mounting on one the
ends 206, 208 of the squeezing member 218. As shown in FIG. 14B,
the closed end 250 of first cleaning head 230 has a concave surface
adapted for engaging, gently polishing and cleaning a surface of a
tooth. The concave closed end 250 may be made from an elastic
material, such as rubber or the like, to avoid scratching the
tooth's surface. Alternatively, closed end 250 (or the entirety of
first cleaning head 230) may be made from Salvadora persica, a type
of wood which is commonly used as a teeth cleaning stick throughout
the Arabian Peninsula.
Exemplary second cleaning head 210, as shown in FIGS. 14C and 14D,
also has at least one sidewall 264, an open end 262 and a closed
end 260. The open end 262 is adapted for releasable mounting on one
the ends 206, 208 of the squeezing member 218, and the closed end
260 has a tapered surface adapted for cleaning between an adjacent
pair of teeth. The tapered end 260 can be worked between teeth to
externally clean the grooves between teeth, but not penetrate
between the teeth, allowing for safe removal of dental deposits
between the teeth. Similar to first cleaning head 230, closed end
260 (or the entirety of second cleaning head 210) may be made from
Salvadora persica.
As best seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, an annular disc 240 is mounted
within the substantially cylindrical sidewall 216 and is mounted
about the cylindrical retaining member 220. The annular disc 240
has at least one opening 242 formed therethrough for removably
receiving the at least one cleaning head. In the non-limiting
example of FIGS. 10 and 11, four such openings 242 are formed
through annular disc 240 for receiving four of the first cleaning
heads 230 and four of the second cleaning heads 210. As shown in
FIG. 12, a circumferential groove 251 may be formed in the inner
face of sidewall 216. A corresponding circumferential groove 253
may be formed in the outer face of cylindrical retaining member
220. Annular disc 240 may be securely mounted within toothpaste cap
with dental care tools 200 through engagement with grooves 251,
253, as shown.
In use, the squeezing member 218 is removed from groove 204 and, as
shown in FIG. 13A, first end 206 is inserted into the open end of a
selected one of the cleaning heads. In FIG. 13A, squeezing member
218 is shown engaging one of the second type of cleaning heads 210,
although it should be understood that this is shown for exemplary
purposes only. Once the chamfered or otherwise contoured end 206 is
received within the open end of the cleaning head, the cleaning
head is releasably secured thereon, as shown in FIG. 13B. The user
may then add another cleaning head by inserting the second end 208
into another cleaning head, as shown in FIG. 13C. As illustrated in
FIG. 13D, the user then has the choice of using either cleaning
head 210 or cleaning head 230.
It is to be understood that the toothpaste cap with dental care
tools is not limited to the specific embodiments described above,
but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the
generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments
described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described
above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the
art to make and use the claimed subject matter.
* * * * *